The central government should introduce more policies promoting the opening up of western China, according to comments made by Tang Zongwei, deputy director of the Liangjiang New Area Administrative Committee and a deputy to the 12th National People’s Congress.

Chongqing’s China-Singapore Demonstration Initiative on Strategic Connectivity would be one area set to benefit from such policies. The initiative is the third of its kind in China, promoting trade cooperation with Singapore, as well as opening up inland Chongqing.

So far this year, more than 70 projects worth a total of 110 billion yuan ($16 billion) have agreed to settle in Chongqing, most of which focus on cross-border funding, finance, smart city, healthcare, and education.

The launch ceremony for Chongqing’s China-Singapore Demonstration Initiative on Strategic Connectivity is held in Chongqing on Jan 8, 2016, marking a huge step in cooperation between the two economic hubs. [Photo by Li Xiangbo/news.cn]

As the nation’s first inland economic development zone, Liangjiang New Area expects more beneficial policies from government to help make it a hub of opening up in western inland China, according to Tang. He submitted his suggestion to the State Council to strengthen policy support for the initiative.

Tang suggested policies should be implemented in five major areas to support the initiative, including financial services, transportation and logistics, information communication, and aviation.

Financial services

Government should support involved financial companies to expand opening-up including banks, insurance companies and security companies. Pilot projects need to be carried out to increase use of Chinese currency in cross-border trade. And an international finance trade platform is necessary to allow foreign investors to explore the market in Chongqing.

Transportation and logistics

China and Singapore aim to build Guoyuan Port in Liangjiang New Area into a demonstration base for Sino-Singapore multimodal transport. Liangjiang expects a B-type bonded logistics center to be established in Guoyuan Port as well as a regulatory center to create a new mode for customs and inspection and quarantine of multimodal transport. Supports are also needed to build Yuzui Station into a second setting off point for the Yuxinou (Chongqing-Xinjiang-Europe) International Railway.

Containers wait to be shipped at Guoyuan Port in Chongqing. The port is the largest in Chongqing, and will be built into a demonstration base for Sino-Singapore multimodal transport. [Photo by Wu Beihai/Xinhua]

Information communication

Tang implored the central government to build a Sino-Singapore offshore data center to build an international data channel between China and Singapore. Policies should be issued to set up outsourcing service pilots on offshore data and allow foreign investors set up joint venture companies in Chongqing to provide data services.

Aviation

Liangjiang New Area will build an inland hub airport to develop aircraft maintenance business. Policies are needed to support Singapore aviation companies to set up in the area. Sino-Singapore joint ventures are also expected to open duty-free shops in Chongqing’s airports.

Edited by Owen Fishwick